Academic Policies

The Academic Program

Each student enrolled in a degree program is required to complete a major. In addition, students have the option of pursuing a minor outside their major discipline. Students also complete course work to fulfill the requirements of the Core Program, which provides a broad and liberal education.

Academic Advising

Advisors are assigned for majors, second majors, and minors. Non-degree students also are assigned advisors. 

The First-Year Advising Program for residential students is deisgned to touch on all aspects of the first-year experience, assisting new students to better understand themselves, and to learn to use the College’s resources to meet their educational needs and aspirations. 

One of the unique features of the School of Graduate and Professional Studies’ programs is its emphasis on individualized academic advising. The advisor will work with the student to provide assistance and guidance through the college experience through graduation.

Change of Major/Minor

Declarations and changes of majors and minors are initiated by the student and facilitated by the Registration and Records Office. When a change of major or minor occurs, a student’s advising record is transferred from one Academic program to another when applicable. 

Change of Personal Information

Any change of name, address, telephone number, or marital status must be reported to the Office of Registration and Records immediately either as a request through the College Web system or in written form. E-mailed and telephoned changes cannot be accepted. This information must be kept current so that there will be no delay in receipt of information from the College. Changes of name, gender, social security number, etc., require legal documentation.

Official Electronic Correspondence

All students are provided with a college e-mail account (@etown.edu). These accounts are considered the college’s official method of electronic correspondence. Students will be provided with their account information (username and password) after matriculation. This address is used for official correspondence, so students should check their email regularly at http://mail.etown.edu.

Credits and Residency

All Elizabethtown College programs require minimum numbers of academic credit for completion.

• Associate Degrees (64 credits)
• Baccalaureate Degrees (125 credits)
• Graduate programs require 30-42 credits (depending upon program of study)
• Graduate certificates (12-18 credits)

Distribution of Credits

The credits stipulated above must be distributed in such a way that all curriculum requirements for the program/major are met. This means that a particular student may need to take credits beyond the minimum required in order to meet the requirements of his or her major curriculum and/or the core curriculum.

Residency Requirements

Residency means courses/credits completed through Elizabethtown College. The minimum number of Elizabethtown College courses needed to satisfy the requirements varies depending on the program.

• Associate degrees: Students must have at least 9 credits in their major and a minimum of 15 of the last 30 credits in the program overall from Elizabethtown College.
• Baccalaureate degrees: A minimum of 30 of the last 60 credits must be taken from Elizabethtown College. Elizabethtown College credits must include 15 credits in the major, 9 of these must be upper division. Core Program Capstone must be taken at Elizabethtown.

To recognize completion of a minor on the transcript, a student must have completed at least six credits of the requirements at Elizabethtown College while enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program. These are the general requirements, but they may vary slightly by major. Students should refer to the policies in the catalog for their particular major and/or check with their academic advising coordinator.

Transfer Credit

Transfer Credit Policies – Master’s Degree Programs

In the Master of Business Administration and the Master of Science programs, students may transfer up to three courses of graduate level work. Courses transferred must be related to the intended field of study.

In graduate programs with a concentration, up to two courses of graduate level work may transfer if courses are evaluated as fully equivalent to a course within the masters with concentration curriculum.

Transfer Credit Policies – Graduate Certificate Programs

While not generally accepted in the Graduate Certificate Programs, the School will consider transfer credits up to three credits, evaluated on an individual student basis.

Transfer Credit Policies-Undergraduate Accelerated Degree Programs

During the application process, admissions staff, in consultation with the Office of Registration and Records, will work with students to maximize the number of credits from previous college work that they can transfer into their Elizabethtown College program. Students will be required to provide official transcripts in order to have transfer credit posted to their Elizabethtown College transcript.

Elizabethtown College will accept the transfer of credits up to a maximum of sixty-four applicable semester credit hours from a two-year institution. Students may earn up to a maximum of 32 credits earned through examination (i.e., AP, IB, CLEP, etc.). Exam credits do not count toward residency or GPA calculation. Official certification of exam scores and official college transcripts are required for credit transfer. Transfer credit will not exceed the maximum of 95 total credits. Students must meet all residency requirements.

Foundations for Accelerated Learning (FS1500) and Core Program Capstone (IDC4900) will be waived for students that have already earned a bachelor’s degree.

Credits taken at other institution of higher learning must carry a grade of at least C- to transfer into an undergraduate program.

Such institution should normally be accredited by one of the regional accrediting agencies like the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). However, credits from a non-regionally accredited institution will be evaluated on an individual basis; such credits, when combined with relevant work experience and other factors may transfer. For more information, see the Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) policy.

By standard academic practice, quarter credit hour courses are evaluated at a reduced number of full semester credit hours. The College cannot accept Continuing Education Units (CEUs) in transfer.

Credits considered for transfer are normally not “aged” or rejected because the student completed them too long ago. However, the College may request that the student retake certain major credits rather than transfer due to changes in the field of study.

When considering transfer courses, please keep in mind that in order to graduate with Latin honors, students must complete a minimum of 60 credits at Elizabethtown College and earn a grade point average of 3.60 or better for cum laude, 3.75 for magna cum laude, or 3.90 or better for summa cum laude.

Transfer Students with Earned Associate Degrees

Students admitted to Elizabethtown College through the Office of Admissions with an earned associate degree, consisting of at least 40 corresponding general education credits, will be recognized as meeting all of the requirements of the Elizabethtown College Core Curriculum, including upper-level core requirements, with full junior standing. The foregoing provision does not supersede curricular prerequisites or departmental program requirements established in the College catalog. Nor does it exclude the student from completing the Foundations for Accelerated Learning (FS1500) and the Core Program Capstone (IDC4900) requirement, or residency requirements, for completion of a bachelor’s degree.

Elizabethtown College is accredited by Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).

Taking Courses at Another Institution

Once the SGPS has accepted an adult student into a degree program, that student may request approval to take courses at another accredited institution and transfer credits to the School, assuming the request meets all transfer and residency policies. Students are required to complete the Off Campus Approval form in JayWeb for each course prior to enrolling.

When considering transferring credits, it is recommended that students consult with their academic advising coordinator. The student is responsible for not duplicating any credit already earned. Credit(s) will be granted upon receipt of an official transcript verifying completion of the course(s) with a grade of C- or higher for undergraduate students and a B or higher for graduate students.

Etown Edge Courses

Edge courses may apply toward your Elizabethtown College undergraduate degree program. The course is subject to all existing transfer polices and an Off Campus Approval Form must be submitted prior to enrollment in the Edge course. Registration and Records will review the request and confirm available transfer credit, pending official ACE transcripts.

Credit by Examination

Students, accepted for enrollment through our Admissions Office, may receive academic credit or advanced placement through examination. Credits earned through examination are transcribed, but not the grade, thus credits earned through examination are not calculated into the students grade point average (GPA).  Students can earn up to a maximum of 32 credits through examination. A student will not receive duplicate credit through examination, or any other college courses taken before or after enrolling at Elizabethtown College.

College Board’s Advanced Placement Examinations

Advanced Placement (AP) is a program created by College Board, which offers nationally recognized college-level curricula and examinations to high school students. Students who perform satisfactorily on a College Board AP Examination, earning a score of four or better, earn academic credit.  Departmentally approved AP Examinations and their Elizabethtown College equivalent are outlined on the Office of Registration and Records’ website.

CLEP Examinations

Elizabethtown College participates in the CLEP program of the College Board accepting a score of 50 or higher in subject areas upon matriculation to the college. 

All CLEP examinations must be completed prior to the achievement of sophomore status (30 or more completed credits). In addition, any currently enrolled student must receive written approval from the Registrar, and their academic advisor, before completing the examination. Any student with advanced knowledge in the CLEP subject, earned at Elizabethtown College or another credit-granting institution, will be prohibited from earning transfer credit through CLEP examination.

A complete list of CLEP Examinations and the Elizabethtown equivalent is available on the Office of Registration and Records’ website.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

Elizabethtown College recognizes International Baccalaureate (IB) for the purpose of admission, course credit, advanced standing or placement. Students do not have to earn an IB Diploma to receive academic credit. The college does not award credit for standard level (SL) examinations.  

IB Diploma recipients, earning a total score of 30 or higher, will earn 32 credits (equivalent to sophomore status). 

IB Certificate recipients receive credit (depending on the subject) for scores of five or better on higher level (HL) examinations.

Other course credits from institutions outside of the United States are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.  For example, Cambridge International (Advanced Level or A-Level) examinations. 

Students are required to request the organization to submit official transcripts and/or scores directly to the Office of Registration and Records. For precise placement determinations, we may request a review of the course syllabus or examples of written work.  If an accurate evaluation of foreign credentials is not possible, the student may be requested to secure, at their expense, a professional evaluation from a nationally recognized organization like World Education Services (WES), www.wes.org.

DSST Examination

DSST, formally Defense Activity for Non-traditional Education Support (DANTES), exams are college subject tests taken to earn college credit for knowledge acquired outside of a traditional classroom. In accordance with the American Council on Education (ACE) recommendations, students taking DANTES - DSST exams earn credit by earning the ACE recommended minimum score of 400, or higher as determined by the department governing the course discipline.

Concurrent Credentials

Graduate Certificate to Graduate Degree Program

Graduate credit-bearing certificate programs are comprised of related courses that constitute a coherent body of study within a discipline. Elizabethtown College students who have been fully admitted into a graduate degree program, while previously or currently enrolled in an Elizabethtown College certificate program, may apply credits earned in the certificate program to a graduate degree in their entirety.

Requirements:

• The graduate certificate course credit hours must be defined as an area of concentration within the graduate degree program.
• The graduate degree program must have eighteen (18) unique (not shared) credits unless otherwise noted in the Catalog for the specific graduate program.

If the certificate is not an area of concentration in the graduate degree program, the student may apply up to six (6) previously earned credits from the certificate program to the graduate degree program to take the place of elective credits.

Subsequent Certificate Policy

Credits earned in a previous certificate may be applied to a subsequent certificate if at least six (6) credits are unique (not shared) and is completed after the first certificate is awarded.

Subsequent Degree Policy

Students may be approved to use up to nine (9) credits from a previous Elizabethtown graduate degree program to meet the requirements of a subsequent graduate degree.

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)

Prior Learning Assessment, PLA, is a process by which learning mastered outside of a formal classroom is reviewed for college-level equivalency. Credit for PLA may be granted for learning acquired from work and life experiences; civic, community, or volunteer work; individual study; and in-service training sponsored by associations, business, government, and industry, including the military. PLA is a rigorous process in which a student must demonstrate that he or she has college-level learning, which entails knowledge, skills, and competencies obtained as a result of prior experiences in a particular area. PLA is awarded based on learning, not experience. PLA provides students the opportunity to validate their relevant learning.

PLA creates a pathway for our non-traditional students to accelerate their academic progress toward earning an Elizabethtown College degree. Any Elizabethtown College program approved to award credit through PLA will have it clearly published on their school’s webpage. Credit for PLA will only be awarded when:

• A student is an actively enrolled, degree-seeking student at Elizabethtown College and has completed a minimum of 6 Elizabethtown College credits prior to applying for PLA.
• Students interested in pursuing PLA credit should check with their academic advisor to ensure that they do not enroll into a course for which they may later be seeking to earn PLA equivalent credit.
• Students must be in good academic standing with Elizabethtown College.
• Students must be in good financial standing with Elizabethtown College.
• A student has not previously attempted, completed, or transferred in the equivalent course for which PLA credit is being sought.
• The PLA credit must apply to the student’s major or program of study.

There is a $450 fee charged for the assessment of a PLA portfolio, due upon submission and regardless of the outcome.

To obtain PLA credit for the types of learning listed above, the student may:

1. Contact an approved prior learning assessment service. Once the assessment is complete and a transcript is available, the student may submit an official copy to the Registration and Records Office for evaluation of transfer credits into their Elizabethtown College degree program. Approved providers include: The American Council for Education (ACE), The National College Credit Recommendation Service (National CCRS) and the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL).
2. Complete a one credit course, PL 1500 - SGPS Experiential Learning Portfolio , which will prepare the applicant to submit a Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) Application and Portfolio. The portfolio must demonstrate college-level competencies and writing skills and include a narrative explaining how their specific experience aligns with the student learning outcomes of a course(s) in the Elizabethtown Catalog.  Each statement must be accompanied by tangible evidence and support documentation.

The instructor for PL 1500 will be a trained PLA coordinator who will assess the student’s portfolio and recommend PLA credits to the Record and Registration office.

The PLA coordinator will consult with an appropriate subject matter expert (Dean, Chair, Director, Professor) before finalizing their analysis and recommendation.

A maximum of 32 credits may be earned through PLA and Transfer Credit through Examination policies. PLA credits do not count toward residency or the students’ academic grade point average. Students are responsible for understanding the impact of PLA credits transcribed by Elizabethtown College and future plans for transfer, and or additional degrees.  

Registration

Students register for classes on those days designated on the College calendar. No registrations are accepted after the first week of a semester or subterm. Students register for the fall semester in April. Spring semester registration takes place in November. Winter and Summer registration opens in November with Spring. A student may register either as a degree or a non-degree student and as a full-time or part-time student. Degree-seeking candidates must have a major declaration. 

Many courses have prerequisites, and students are reminded of their responsibility for meeting all prerequisites and for taking courses in proper sequence. 

To register for the next semester, a student must have met all financial obligations. Students who do not register during the registration period cannot be guaranteed space in the residence facilities or classes. Students must meet with their advisor prior to registration, and the advisor must remove the “registration clearance” before students can register online through JayWeb. 

Students will be responsible for obtaining their materials of instruction. The required course material(s) of instruction and course assignments can be found in the syllabus.

Students should check with their academic advising coordinator with questions about whether a course is appropriate for the degree program. The student’s account must be paid in full before they may register for the next semester. This includes library fines, parking tickets, etc.

Due to the accelerated nature of SGPS courses, it is recommended that students discuss course planning with their academic advising coordinator.

Cross-Registrations

Students may seek approval to cross-register between the School of Graduate and Professional Studies and the Schools of Arts and Humanities, Business, Human and Health Professions, Engineering Math and Computer Science, Public Services, Sciences. 

Cross-Registrations are approved on a space-available basis with the approval of the student’s academic advisor and the students School Dean, or designee. 

Guidelines for Cross-Registration:

• A student must be in good academic standing.
• Undergraduate students currently seeking a bachelor’s degree must have successfully completed a minimum of 30 credits.
• Undergraduate students currently seeking an associate degree must have successfully completed a minimum of 15 credits.
• Undergraduate students seeking to take graduate level courses must seek additional approval.   Please refer to the additional requirements below for more information. 
• Graduate Students may only register for courses at the 500 level or above.
• The course cannot be used to satisfy a Core Program requirement.
• The course cannot be used to satisfy a major/minor requirement.
• The course registration must comply with program accreditation.  Please contact the School Dean for more information on program accreditation requirements.
• All course pre-requisites must have been met prior to requesting enrollment in the course.

Any undergraduate students seeking to enroll in graduate level coursework must also submit the Undergraduate Students Seeking to Enroll in Graduate level Course form to maintain federal financial aid and academic progress across two divisions of the College.

• A student must have an overall 3.0 minimum GPA.
• The student must have Junior or Senior standing.
• The course may not be used to satisfy a Core Program requirement.
• The course may not be used to satisfy a major/minor requirement.
• The course registration must comply with program accreditation.  Please contact the School Dean for more information on program accreditation requirements.
• All course pre-requisites must have been met prior to requesting enrollment in the course.
• An undergraduate student enrolled in a graduate course is subject to all academic policies governing undergraduate student.
• To maintain federal eligibility of financial aid, a student must identify whether the course is to be applied to their undergraduate or graduate degree. Once a course is reserved for graduate credit, the course classification cannot revert to undergraduate degree. 

Registration Holds

A student’s registration may be delayed as a result of unpaid account balances, incomplete academic records, disciplinary sanctions, failure to meet with the advisor, failure to provide current off-campus address information, or incomplete health records. For full-time students, the Student Health Record must include a recent physical and evidence that all required immunizations are complete.

Schedule Changes

Enrolled students may make course schedule changes via JayWeb, on a space-available basis. A student is not dropped or withdrawn from a course by notifying the professor. The completion of any course registration addition or change is the responsibility of the student, not the faculty member. Students can review their registration status in JayWeb 24/7. Students should keep in mind that dropping or withdrawing from a course could delay their anticipated date of graduation.

Course Cancellations

Although the college will make every effort to run all scheduled courses, it reserves the right to cancel courses at its discretion. In such cases, every attempt will be made to contact students enrolled in the cancelled course in time to allow rescheduling.

Course Add Period

Students may add a course to their schedule from the first day of open registration for the term and in accordance with the term definitions. 

Semester (14-16 weeks)

Students may add courses to their schedule through the fifth day of the semester using Jayweb. 

Sub-Term (greater than 5 weeks, but less than 14 weeks)

Students may add a course through the fifth day of the published sub-term/session using JayWeb.

Sub-Term (less than 6 weeks)

Students may add a course through the second day of the published sub-term/session using JayWeb. SGPS students participating in a weekend seminar may add a course (register by advisor) until 8:00am EST on the first day of the course.

Course Waitlists

Enrolled students may make course schedule changes via Jayweb, on a space-available basis, in accordance with the Course Add Period policy.  If a course is full, students may waitlist.  If a seat becomes available, a member of the Office of Registration and Records will email the student using their etown.edu email account. Please be sure you are monitoring your email; Registration and Records will hold the seat for up to three days, or the conclusion of the course add policy once the semester begins. The Office of Registration and Records reserves the right to return the student to the waitlist and the seat given to the subsequent student if the stated timeline concludes.

Dropping Courses

Students may DROP a course without permanent record from the first day of open registration for the term and in accordance with the term definitions. 

Semester (14 - 16 weeks)

Week One. Students may elect to DROP a course through the fifth day of the semester using JayWeb.

Week Two – Week Four.  Course DROP(s) between the second and fourth week of the semester require the completion of an official course DROP from located in the Office of Registration and Records.  A course DROP requires the signature of the student’s academic advisor. 

Sub-terms (greater than 5 weeks, but less than 14 weeks)

Week One. Students may elect to DROP a course through the fifth day of the sub-term/session using JayWeb.

Week Two.  Course DROP(s) between the sixth day of the sub-term/session and the end of the second week of the sub-term/session require the completion of an official course DROP form located in the Office of Registration and Records.  A course DROP requires the signature of the student’s academic advisor. 

Sub-terms (less than 6 weeks)

Week One. Students may elect to DROP a course through the third day of the sub-term/session using JayWeb. SGPS students participating in a weekend seminar may DROP a class until 8:00am EST on the first day of the course.

Course Withdrawal Period

At the conclusion of the course DROP period, a student has the option of exercising a course withdrawal.  The decision to withdraw from a course is part of a student’s academic record and transcribed based on the date of the form submission to the Office of Registration and Records.

Semester (14-16 Weeks)

From the fifth week to the end of the eleventh week, a course withdrawal will result in a grade of “W”, which will appear on the student’s permanent record, but it will not affect the student’s grade point average.

All course withdrawals after the end of the eleventh week of the semester will result in a grade of “WF”, which is calculated into the student’s grade point average as an earned “F”.

Sub-terms (greater than 5 weeks, but less than 14 weeks)

From the third week to the end of the fifth week, a course withdrawal will result in a grade of “W”, which will appear on the student’s permanent record, but it will not affect the student’s grade point average.

All course withdrawals after the end of the fifth week of the sub-term/session will result in a grade of “WF”, which is calculated into the student’s grade point average as an earned “F”.

Sub-terms (less than 6 weeks)

From the fourth day to the end of the third week, a course withdrawal will result in a grade of “W”, which will appear on the student’s permanent record, but it will not affect the student’s grade point average. SGPS students participating in a weekend seminar who withdraw from a class on the first day will receive a “W,” which will appear on the student’s permanent record, but it will not affect the student’s grade point average.

All course withdrawals after the end of the third week of the sub-term/session will result in a grade of “WF”, which is calculated into the student’s grade point average as an earned “F”. SGPS students participating in a weekend seminar who withdraw from a class after the first day will receive a “WF,” which is calculated into the student’s grade point average as an earned “F.”

Repeating courses (Undergraduate and Graduate)

Courses that are eligible to be repeated must be taken at Elizabethtown College and not at another institution as a transfer course.

Undergraduate students may repeat any course in which they earned an F or NP and may attempt failed courses as many times as needed until the course is passed. Under certain conditions, students may be able to repeat a course in which they earned a C- or a grade in the D range. To do so, the following conditions must be met:

• The course to be repeated must be in their major/minor or be a course that is a prerequisite to a Core Program requirement.
• The student must submit a request to his or her academic advisor who will seek the approval of the Dean of the School.
• The student must submit a course repeat request form in JayWeb.

Under federal financial aid (Title IV) guidelines, a previously passed course that meets these conditions may be repeated only one time. This includes courses in which a program requires a minimum grade in the course (i.e., students who have previously passed a course have one opportunity to repeat the course for a better grade).  When repeating a course in order to earn a different grade, the original grade remains on the transcript but is removed from calculation of the grade point average, course credits are counted only once toward degree and program requirements, and only the last (i.e., most recent) grade earned for the course is counted in the grade point average.

Graduate students may repeat any course in which they earned an F or NP. Students will only receive one attempt at retaking the course. A request to repeat a course in which a C or higher is earned must be approved by the Dean of the School of Graduate and Professional Studies.

Final Examination/Project Policy

All academic courses are expected to conclude with a final examination/project administered during the assigned time of the examination period. Within the last three meeting days for classes (not for any individual course) prior to final examinations, no unit tests or quizzes of any type may be administered. Due to the structure of courses involving laboratory examinations/practica, a laboratory examination/practicum can be given during these final three days prior to final examinations. In addition, major papers and projects can be assigned due dates that fall within the last three meeting days for classes, providing the due dates are specified in the syllabus.

The following may or may not have final examinations/projects, depending upon the judgment of the instructor:

• laboratory sections advanced seminar in which an assigned paper or project is the major activity
• a performance class in which a recital or similar artistic performance is required
• an internship
• a practicum

Any faculty member seeking an exception to the final examination/project rule for an academic course shall first secure the approval of the Dean and then that of the Chair of Academic Standing Committee.

Students, as well as faculty members, are expected to abide by the published examination/project schedule. However, students with three examinations/projects in one day may request of a professor that one examination/project be rescheduled during examination/project period. There is no obligation on the part of the faculty member to reschedule the examination/project. All requests for rescheduling an examination/project must be made at least five class days before the start of the final examination/project period. Students with four examinations/projects in one day may request that one or two of the examinations/projects be rescheduled, following the same procedure. When a scheduling conflict cannot be resolved between faculty member(s) and student, the student may take her or his case to the Associate Provost for Academic and Faculty Affairs.

Programmatic Student Privilege

With the permission of the instructor, a full-time or part-time junior or senior student may attend any class within the student’s major or minor program on a space-available basis without registration or credit. This is not applicable to courses in accelerated subterms. 

Attendance Policy

Academic programs offered through the School are in an accelerated format; therefore, it is expected that students attend all scheduled classes, regardless of the mode of course delivery. Students may experience face-to-face class via a synchronous, remote delivery method at the instructor’s discretion. Students must complete all online requirements for the entire session in order to achieve the course outcomes.

For face-to-face or blended classes, students are expected to attend all scheduled class sessions for the full class time. Arriving late or leaving early could have an impact on the student’s grade. If absence or lateness is unavoidable, students must notify the faculty member as soon as possible, prior to the class meeting. The result may be missed points or make-up work assigned by the faculty member; this is at the faculty member’s discretion. If a student is aware of a conflict at the time of registration, he/she are encouraged to contact the faculty member immediately to discuss the scheduled absence. Depending on the class session affected, it may be prudent to select a different course that is not impacted by the scheduled absence.

For online or blended classes, students are expected to fully participate in online activities, discussion boards, and assignments throughout the course. If lateness of an assignment or absence from a scheduled on-line session is unavoidable, students must notify the faculty member as soon as possible, prior to the assigned activity. The result may be missed points or make-up work assigned by the faculty member; this is at the faculty member’s discretion.

In consideration of the learning experiences that occur in the classroom and the value of those interactions for all students enrolled in the class, students are not permitted to bring any additional persons to class who are not enrolled in that class.  This includes any family members (spouses, children, siblings, etc.), friends and co-workers.

Due to the accelerated nature of the courses, students who do not complete coursework in the first week may be administratively withdrawn if they do not show their intent to complete the course by participating academically in the second week.

Students who determine they are unable to complete a course in which they have participated must contact their academic advisor immediately to discuss options. For most situations, students should refer to the SGPS Withdrawal and Refund Policy. Medical Withdrawals or Incomplete Requests are for extraordinary circumstances and require additional documentation.

Failure to properly withdraw from a course or request a medical withdrawal or incomplete within the appropriate timeframe may result in a student earning a failing grade.

Tuition Refunds

Please contact the Elizabethtown College Business Office at 717-361-1417 or businessoffice@etown.edu regarding questions about tuition refunds. Additional information can be found here. 

College Withdrawal (Voluntary)

Students who withdraw from the College during a semester also withdraw from all of their classes in every session of that semester. Students electing to withdraw from the College are required to submit the online “College Withdrawal Form”, located in JayWeb. 

A student who withdraws without notification receives no refunds and may incur the full costs of enrollment. Failure to comply with the withdrawal procedures may result in loss of the privilege of readmission to the College and the right to the release of a transcript of credits earned. Please contact the Business Office for information about pro-rated refunds.  For more information about the voluntary withdrawal process, contact your academic advising coordinator.

Medical Withdrawal (Voluntary)

A medical withdrawal for a physical health or mental health reason is defined as a withdrawal from the College for at least the remainder of the semester in which it is initiated. The withdrawal may extend through subsequent semesters (and all course sessions in those semesters) depending on the nature and course of the health concerns. The transcript will indicate “W” for all current courses.

A medical withdrawal for physical or mental health reasons is requested voluntarily by the student or the identified individual on the students FERPA release form and may be approved if, in the judgment of a licensed medical or mental health provider, it is determined to be in the best interest of the student. A Medical Withdrawal Documentation Form must be signed by the student and completed by the student’s treatment provider.

During a medical withdrawal, the College expects the student to participate in professional healthcare treatment with a licensed medical or mental health provider as the primary method of resolving or managing the health concerns which led to the medical withdrawal.

Prior to being considered for readmission by the College, the student must have his/her treatment provider submit the Medical Withdrawal Re-Entry Documentation Form to his/her academic advisor.

Students must also complete the Online Application for Readmission or Re-Entry available on the Office of Registration and Records webpage.

Students are also encouraged to consult with Financial Aid and the Business Office regarding implications for individual financial aid and the Institutional Refund Policy.

Involuntary Withdrawal

The Dean of the School of Graduate and Professional Studies may impose an Involuntary Withdrawal when a student exhibits behavior that has not been appropriately resolved through the grievance process or is threatening to the safety and well-being of the college community.

Each situation will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis through an individualized assessment of the student’s ability to safely participate in college programs. The Dean will consult with the Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs and other college stakeholders as necessary to fully consider available medical knowledge and the observed, documented behavior which prompted the review in order to determine if a reasonable accommodation can be made or if a withdrawal is recommended.

If a withdrawal is recommended, the Dean will confer with the student to explain the advantages of a voluntary withdrawal or voluntary medical withdrawal and the conditions for re-entry which may include a medical clearance from a licensed physician or psychologist. If the student declines to take a voluntary withdrawal or voluntary medical withdrawal, the Dean may impose an involuntary withdrawal. The Dean will explain the implications for the student including the conditions for re-entry which may include a medical clearance from a licensed physician or psychologist.

During an Involuntary Withdrawal, the student is immediately administratively withdrawn from all classes. The transcript will indicate “W” for all currently enrolled courses. The student may be eligible for a refund according to the course withdrawal policy.

In an emergency situation, the College will take immediate steps to protect the health, safety, and welfare of students, employees, and the campus community including the imposition of an Interim Separation by the Dean. The subsequent individual assessment may result in an Involuntary Withdrawal.

Appeal of an Involuntary Withdrawal

A decision to impose an Involuntary Withdrawal may be appealed by the student to the President within five (5) business days of the decision. Appeals should be in writing and include specific reasons for the appeal. The President has five (5) business days to review the information presented and inform the student in writing of a final decision. The President may uphold the decision of the Dean, adjust the finding, refer the matter back to the Dean for additional consideration or reverse the decision and reinstate the student. The President’s decision is final.

Leave of Absence

Students in good academic standing may take a leave of absence from the College for a period of time not to extend beyond the academic year in which the leave is taken.  Leaves of absence must be approved by the Dean.

In order to return to the College following a leave of absence, students must submit a re-entry/readmission request to the Office of Registration and Records.

Students are also encouraged to speak with a member of the Business and Financial Aid offices to determine the financial impact of a leave of absence.

Readmission

Students who leave the College in good academic standing (minimum 2.00 cumulative grade point average) can request readmission with the Office of Registration and Records by completing the appropriate Readmissions Form.

Students who leave the College in academic difficulty (below 2.00 cumulative grade point average) must petition the SGPS Dean for readmission.

Policy for reservists/students called to active duty

While the Veterans Administration and the American Council on Education have not mandated policies for colleges/universities whose students are called to active duty, the American Council on Education has provided guidelines for these situations:

• 100% tuition refund through the 3rd week of the session.
• No notations made on the permanent record card.
• After the 3rd week, grades of “I” (incompletes) or “W” (withdrawals) are given – based upon the students’ preference.
• Tuition refund is given for only courses with grades of “W.”
• If the withdrawal is during the last two full weeks of the session, full course credit is to be awarded and grades earned by the time of activation shall be posted. 
• A copy of the activation paper is filed in the SCO’s file and the Advising folder.

Grades and Grade Reports

Information is provided in the course syllabus explaining how various elements are weighted and how the grading scale is used.  In consideration of FERPA (Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act), students agree, by registration in a course, to the electronic exchange of course assignments and/or grades with the faculty.

Grades are due at 10:00am on the Tuesday following the last day of the course. Once grades are recorded, matriculated students may view their grade through JayWeb.  Electronic copies of the grades are available to print via JayWeb.

Students who need an official transcript of their coursework may request one through the office of Registration & Records. No transcripts will be issued to students who have an outstanding balance on their account. Information about transcript requests can be found on the Registration & Records website.

Grading Standards

The grading standards established for undergraduate courses are:

The grading standards established for graduate courses are:

Incomplete grades

A student may request a grade of incomplete (I) for a course when extraordinary circumstances prevent completing the course.

An incomplete is not simply to allow additional time to complete course work; it is only to be requested when extenuating circumstances cause a sudden interruption in the student’s ability to complete a session.

Incompletes are dependent upon the approval of the faculty member; not all Elizabethtown College courses may lend themselves to this process.

To request an incomplete, the student must contact their advisor to initiate the process.  The student must complete the Incomplete Grade Request through JayWeb no later than the final day of the course. 

Once the form has been submitted by both the student and the faculty member, an (I) will be entered for the student’s grade by the faculty member before the grade entry deadline.  Outstanding work must be completed five weeks from the end of the course session for undergraduates and eight weeks from the end of the course session for graduate students.

If any of the remaining coursework to be completed is not finished prior to the designated deadline, the student’s grade will be calculated based upon the grades earned out of the total possible course points. A zero will be earned for each remaining unfinished assignment and included in the calculations for the final course grade.

Grade Appeals

Questions concerning a course grade should be brought to the attention of the course faculty member immediately upon the student’s receipt of the official grade. If a student believe that a final grade has been influenced by matters other than academic performance, class attendance and punctuality in submitting assignments, then the following steps are to be following:

1. The student requests a meeting with the course faculty to identify the concern, provide evidence to support position, and seek resolution. This meeting can occur face-to-face, over the phone, or virtually. If the faculty determines there is a need to change the grade, the faculty may submit the Change of Grade form.
2. If the student-faculty meeting does not resolve the issue to the student’s satisfaction, the student may submit a Grade Appeal Form to the Dean. Formal grade appeals must be submitted by the student within 30 days of the date on which the grade was issued by the College. The Dean will review the evidence provided by the student and seek to resolve the concern with the faculty member. A decision will be communicated to the student and the academic advising coordinator within 10 business days. If the decision is to change the grade, the Dean will submit the Change of Grade form. The decision of the Dean is final.

Quality Points and Grade Point Average Requirements

A 4.0 quality point system and plus/minus grading is used.

Undergraduate quality points are assigned as follows.  Students in undergraduate degree programs must have a grade point average of 2.0 overall and 2.0 in the major, and 2.00 in any declared minors

Grading Standards for Undergraduate Courses

Graduate quality points are assigned as follows. Students in graduate degree programs must have a grade point average of 3.0 overall and 3.0 in the major to receive their diploma.

Grading Standards for Graduate Courses

Academic Standing

Good Standing

Undergraduate students in academic good standing maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 overall and a 2.0 in their major.

Graduate students in academic good standing maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 overall and 3.0 in their major.

Academic Probation

Students on academic probation and/or contract should normally limit their academic load to three courses - or a maximum of 13 or 14 credits - in any semester in which the probation exists. The summer maximum should be two courses or eight credits. Students taking courses exclusively through accelerated subterms should work closely with their academic advisor to review their degree requirements, develop a course plan for upcoming semesters, and identify resources that can aid in their success. 

The status of Academic Probation does not prevent a student from registering for courses in upcoming sessions. However, financial aid eligibility may be impacted, in accordance with the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards. Eligibility for use of VA education benefits may also be impacted, as the School is required to report a change in academic status for any student using such benefits.

Undergraduate students falling into the following categories at the end of each academic semester are placed on academic probation:

Semester Hours           with      Cumulative Grade

Attempted (Local)                   Point Average below:

1-18                                         1.7

19-34                                       1.9

35 or more                               2.0

Graduate students falling into the following categories at the end of each academic semester are placed on academic probation:

Semester Hours           with      Cumulative Grade

Attempted (Local)                   Point Average below:

1-18                                         2.0

19+                                          2.5

Academic Dismissal

The College, upon recommendation of the Dean of the School of Graduate and Professional Studies, may dismiss a student who continues to experience difficulty on academic probation and/or is not making progress toward degree completion.

Readmission for Academically Dismissed Students

A student who is dismissed from the College due to academic difficulty or probation must petition the admission’s review panel for readmission.  Consult with an academic advisor or an admission’s representative for information on the readmission process.

Students are also encouraged to reach out to the Financial Aid Office to ensure understanding of the Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards that must be met to be eligible for financial aid. 

A student who is readmitted to the College after an absence of five successive years may, upon completion of 15 consecutive credits at Elizabethtown College and earning a grade of C or better in each class, have previous grades of F removed from the cumulative grade point average.

Academic Recognition and Program Completion

Graduation

The Ceremony

Graduation from Elizabethtown College is celebrated once each year in May. The ceremony is typically held on the morning of the second or third Saturday in May, outdoors in the Dell, except in cases of severely inclement weather when the ceremony is held in an alternate location. Students who complete all graduation requirements in the previous summer or fall or in the current spring semester are recognized at this ceremony. Undergraduate students majoring in Music Therapy who have completed all course work except their professional internship in Music Theraphy may participate in the May graduation ceremony, but do not receive their diplomas until their internship is successfully completed. 

Upon degree conferral, the academic record is finalized and no further changes may be made. No program changes such as the addition of a major, minor or concentration, grade or GPA changes or other academic changes to the record will be considered. 

Dean’s List

A full-time undergraduate student who earns a semester grade point average of 3.60 or better in 14 or more credit hours, of which at least 12 credits are letter-graded course work, is regarded by the College as having performed with distinction. The student is placed on the Dean’s List of Honor Students for the semester.

SGPS Dean’s List

To be eligible for the School’s Dean’s List, undergraduate students have to complete nine graded credits in the fall semester and nine graded credits in the spring semester (for a total of 18 credits) and achieve a GPA of 3.60 or higher in each semester. The Dean’s List distinction is noted on a recipient’s transcript each summer.

Program Completion / Degree Conferral

Degrees are conferred in May, August, and December. All coursework must be completed and prior to the date of degree conferral. This includes work taken at other colleges or through testing; all official transcripts must be received prior to the date of degree conferral. 

Commencement

Elizabethtown College celebrates the achievement of its graduates through an annual commencement ceremony, held in May. All degree-seeking students are invited and encouraged to participate. Students completing a Graduate Certificate are not eligible to participate in commencement.

Students must have completed all degree requirements prior to the May commencement date in order to participate in that year’s ceremony.  Students completing after the May commencement date will be invited to attend the following May’s ceremony.

Diplomas are mailed to students following the August and December degree conferral. Diplomas are presented at commencement to students with a May degree conferral date, provided they do not have a hold on their student account. Diplomas are mailed to May graduates that do not attend commencement.

Graduating with Honors

Undergraduate Latin Honors

Undergraduate students will graduate with Latin honors after having completed a minimum of 60 credits from Elizabethtown College and earning a grade point average for those credits of:

• 3.60 or better for cum laude
• 3.75 or better for magna cum laude
• 3.90 or better for summa cum laude

Bachelor degree students should keep honors’ residency requirements in mind when considering the option of taking credits at other schools.

Honors in the Discipline

Honors in the Discipline is awarded at graduation to outstanding undergraduates majoring in the various disciplines. To receive this designation, the student must prepare a research or creative project, and the completed project must be judged outstanding by the faculty of the School. An invitation from the major Program and a grade point average of at least 3.50 in the major are required for a student to begin an honors project.

Honors in the Discipline is noted in the graduation program and on the academic transcript. A student may receive recognition in more than one discipline. Schools may recognize more than one graduate in a year. Each School determines the specific criteria used to judge its students’ projects.

SGPS Honors in the Discipline

Undergraduate students enrolled through the School of Graduate and Professional Studies receive SGPS Honors with a 3.60 or higher GPA and a minimum of 30 credits with Elizabethtown College, but less than 60 credits, which is the residency requirement to receive Latin Honors. Students earning an Associate degree with 3.60 or higher GPA receive SGPS Honors in the Discipline. Graduate students enrolled through the School of Graduate and Professional Studies receive Honors in the Discipline having completed their degree program with a 4.0 GPA.

Academic Integrity

Elizabethtown College and the School for Graduate and Professional Studies assumes that all students will act honorably. Students are expected to adhere to the following Pledge of Integrity:

Elizabethtown College Pledge of Integrity

“I pledge to respect all members of the Elizabethtown College community, and to act as a responsible member of the College community. I pledge to respect the free exchange of ideas both inside and outside the classroom. I pledge to represent as my work only that which is indeed my own, refraining from all forms of lying, plagiarizing, cheating, and academic dishonesty. As a member of the Elizabethtown College community, I am responsible to represent and uphold these values.”

Standards of Academic Integrity

Academic work is expected unequivocally to be the honest product of the student’s own endeavor. Academic dishonesty – including, but not limited to, the examples below – constitutes a serious breach of academic integrity:

Breach of confidentiality. Integral components of courses are based on student and faculty member self-disclosure (the use of personal experiences) for the purpose of facilitating learning. The School expects students to honor confidentiality as it relates to student disclosure. No one should ever use information, comments, or opinions expressed by the students or the faculty member during classroom discussion in a manner intended to humiliate, embarrass, harass, damage, or injure others in their personal, public, or business lives. Confidentiality requires that no information be disclosed which would identify any particular individual. The student has a right to choose how much information to disclose and a responsibility to respect the limits of disclosure set by other students and faculty members.

Fabrication, falsification, or invention of information, data, or citations in any assignment. To knowingly help or attempt to help another student to commit an act of academic dishonesty is considered to be an equivalent breach of academic integrity and is treated as such.

Cheating, defined as using, giving, or receiving unauthorized information as part of an examination or other academic exercise. This includes handing in any work that was originally undertaken to satisfy requirements of the same course by another student.

Plagiarism through the failure to acknowledge, appropriately and accurately, the extent of the student’s reliance on or use of someone else’s words, ideas, data, or arguments, even when such material has been paraphrased, summarized, or rearranged. Conscious intent is not necessary for plagiarism to take place; committing plagiarism from ignorance still constitutes a serious violation of academic integrity.

Self-plagiarism by handing in any work that was part of work submitted previously in the current course or a prior course. Students are expected to create original work for each assignment, even when re-taking a course.

Violations of academic integrity are reviewed individually and according to the circumstances of the violation.

Procedures for Dealing with Violations of Academic Integrity Involving Course Work

Student Meeting: When a faculty member discovers evidence of academic dishonesty in any form, a meeting is scheduled promptly with the student. This meeting can take place via e-mail, telephone or in person.  The faculty member will explain the breach of academic integrity found and discuss the situation with the student.  If this discussion resolves the issue and the faculty member determines that there was no breach of academic integrity, the process is complete.  If, after the meeting, the faculty member determines there is sufficient evidence of an academic integrity violation, the Written Notification step is initiated. If the faculty member is unable to reach the student to discuss the situation or the student does not respond to the faculty member within three business days, the notification process to the School will proceed to Written Notification without a meeting.

Written Notification:  The faculty member will inform the student in writing via email using the Academic Integrity Violation Form. Faculty members exercise discretion in determining the recommended penalty; this discretion includes re-submission of work, assignment failure, and/or course failure.  The Form is then reviewed within 10 days of receipt to determine whether a Review Committee is required and signed by the Dean. In addition, Recommended Actions will be made to facilitate student development so that a future violation is less likely to occur. This formal documentation will be sent to the student and academic advisor, who will place a copy in the student’s advising file.

Review Committee: If the violation is of sufficient seriousness, or forms a pattern of abuse by the student, the Dean of the School may appoint a Review Committee to evaluate the violation and/or history of violations.  Recommendations from the Review Committee may include failure of an assignment or course up to expulsion or dismissal from the School and College. The Dean will notify the student in writing within 30 days of receipt of the initial form of the decision and the factors that influence that decision.

The student may appeal the decision of the Review Committee to the Dean. The appeal must be presented in writing to the Dean within 5 days of receipt of the decision.  A meeting will be held with the student and the Dean.  The Dean will review the matter and will inform the student in writing of the final outcome. The Dean’s decision is final.

Time Zone Policy

The School of Graduate and Professional Studies runs courses on Eastern Standard Time (EST). Courses begin at 12:00 am EST of the first day of the session and end at 11:59 pm EST on the last day of the session. To maintain equity among all students, assignment due dates and web conferences will be set according the Eastern Standard Time. Students who do not complete any academically-inclined work by 11:59 pm EST of Sunday the first week of the session will be marked as non-attending for financial aid purposes. Students who are unable to participate in web conferences due to their scheduled time will have the opportunity to complete an equivalent activity, through viewing a recording of the web conference and/or completing an alternate assignment.